Corner post for drop-end gondola cars



Aug. 9, 1927. 1,638,128

A. G. SANDMAN CORNER POST FOR DROP END GOND OLA CARS Filed July 50. 1925I Inventor Hagzzst G. Sandman Patented Aug. 9, 1927.

- UNITED STATES- AUGUST G. SANDMAN, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

CORNER POST FOR DROP-END GONDOLA CARS.

Application filed July 30, 1925. Serial No. 47,032.

This invention relates to corner post for that type of railway freighttrain equ1pment known as the drop end gondola car. Such a car isprovided with rigid side walls but the end walls are hinged at theirbottom edge so that they may be lowered or dropped so as to lie on thefloor of the car. The object of such an arrangement is to permit the carto be used in transporting material which is too long to be carried inone car such as rolled steel beams, pipe and fabricated structuralmaterial. When the doors are in an upright or closed position, the caris used as an ordinary gondola car.

The corner post of such a car performs several functions and resistsnumerous different stresses. The corner post is the end member of theside truss or grider which is the main load carrying member and at thesame time constitutes the side retaining wall. The corner post is one ofthe numerous side stakes which resist the lateral thrust of the ladingagainst the side retaining wall, which thrust is augmented by theshifting of-the lading. WVhen the end gate is in an upright position itsopposite ends bear against the opposite corner post so that these postsconstitute the stakes for the end retaining wall and, furthermore, thepost resists the longitudinal thrusts due to the shifting of the lading.They also provide a place for the latches which hold the door in anupright position.

The corner post must be strong enough to perform its functions and yetoccupy the minimum amount of space so as not to interfere with thelading and to allow the greatest amount of clearance.

An object of the invention is to providea corner post having greatstrength to resist the various stresses imposed upon it and at the sametime provide sufiicie t clearance so as not to interfere with the ading.

Another object of the invention is to obtain a corner post of minimumweight consistent with the required strength.

Fabricated or built-up corner posts are expensive and heavy andcastings. are impractical on accountof replacements and re pairs;therefore, I prefer to make the corner post from a flat metallic(preferably steel) plate and form it into the required shape by pressingit in dies, preferably after heating. it. e v

' Another object of the invention. is to form a corner post from a fiatsteel plate.

In the drawings:

Figure .1 shows an end elevation of a railway car with my device appliedthereon. In the left hand half the'door is shown in a closed positionwhile in the right hand half the door is shown in an open position, thedoor having been opened inwardly.

Figure 2 shows the fragmentary side elevation of Figure 1. I

Figure 3 is a sectional view of line 3-3 of Figure 1. Y

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the corner post in detail.

Figure 5 is anend elevation of corner post in detail.

Figure 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Figure 5.

The side wall 1 of the car comprisesthe top chord 2 and the side sill 3.The floor 4, and sill 5. striking casting 6, carry iron 7 and end sillangle 8 are all the usual part of the car.

The corner post comprises a. side portion 10 at the side of the car andan end portion 11 at the end of the car which portlons are substantiallyperpendicular to each other.

The side portion 10 is attached to the top side chord 2 at 12 and to theside sill 3 at 13 and is wider at the bottom than at the top to betterresist the shifting tendency of the load longitudinally of the car. Theside portion is provided with a vertically extending corrugation 14which terminates within the ends of the post. This corrugationstrengthens the post against the lateral forces in the car. and isterminated within the post to provide room for the attachments to theside chord (12) and side sill ('13) respectively. p

The end portion 11 of the corner post is preferably secured to the topside chord 2 and is also secured to the end sill at 15. The upper partof this end portion is conion stant in width (16) for the major portionto its length and is then curved (17) to form a wider lower part 18 forconnection to the end sill or underframe of the car. By maintaining aconstant width, the clearance for the lading is materially increased.The outer rim of the upper part and also preferably the rim of thecurved part, is formed with an outwardly projecting flange 19. Thisflange materially increases the strength of the corner post on ahorizontal section that is in planes parallel to line 33 in Figwere usedit would soon he buckled and damaged and perhaps torn or split bycontact with the iading. flhis flange increases the strength of the endportion of the post at its outer edge and enahles it"tobetter resist thestresses due to the shitting lading. When such lading as fabricatedgriders, pipe, telegraph'poles, otc., ei\*tend'heyond the corner 1 postthey frequently come in contact with it, thereby causing 'it to act as apost and-also such lading EOlR'GtllHBS'lllOVG longitudinally of thecarand 'ii' the post was not flanged '(flange 19 the rim oif thesteel'platemight damage the lading or vice-Versa, the lading might dama 'ethe-post.

The all "20 0f the'eorrugation 1'4 in the side portion is flush with theend portion 11 of this pest :asshown in Figure 6.

What I claim is:

1. In combina'ti'onwith-the other elcn-lents of a railway drop endgondola car; a corner post formedof plate sleel'coinprising asideportion and an end portion substantially perpendicular toeath other saidend portion being of constant width at its upper part with its outer rimcurved to form wider lower part for connection to the funderframe of thecar.

2. In combination "withthe other elements o'f a railway dropendgonddlzvcar;-a corner post formed of plate 's'tel'comprising a sideportion and an "end portion substantially perpendicular to each other,said end portion being of constant width at its upper part with its'outer rim curved to "iorm a wider dower part tor connection to theund'enframe of the car, the outer rim oi the upper part formed with an-outwardly 'projecting flange.

-3. l n combination with theother elements ota railw-ay drop'end-gondolacar; a corner post form'ed" of plate stee'lcomprising a si do portionand an end portion substantially perpendicular to each other, said endporti'on he'rng of constant width at its upper part with its outer rimcurved to form a wider lower part for connection to the undeiiframe :ofthe car, the outer rim of the upper part an'd the curved 'partformedwith v an outwardly projecting flange.

In con'ihina'tion with -the other elements of aimiilway'drop entlgondola car; a corner post formed of plate steel comprising a sideportion "and an end portion substantially perpendicular -to each other,said side portion provided with a vertical corrugation, said (end"por't-ion loeing of constant width at its upper partwith its outer rimcurved to form a wider liower part 'for connection to Jthe underframeoithe car.

"5. 111 combination w ththe otlieuelements of-a ra'ilway drop -e11d'gondolacar; a a corner perpendicular to each other, said side portionprovided with a Vertical corrugation,

said end poi'tionheing of constant width at 'its upper part with sitsouter rim curved to form a wider lower part for connection to the undeiframe off the car, the outer edge ofthe upper part formed with anoutwardly projecting flange.

'6'. In combination with the =otherelen1ents o fa railway-dropend5gondola car pacorner post formed of pi ate steel comprising :a sideportion *and an :end portion substantially perpendicular to eachother,;said side p'or tion provided with a vertical corrugation, saidend portionheing of conetant'widthra't its upper part with its outer"rimiourved to form a wider lower part for connection to the *underframeof tl're*car,=the outerurim "of the uppergpart-and the curvedparti'formed with an outwardly projecting flange.

7. In 'conihinaltion with the other elen'rents o' ta railway'drop endgondola car; a corner post formedoi plate steel'comprising side portionand 'an end portion substantially perpendicular to each othen said sidepor tion provided with. a vertical coriai ga'ti'on which terminateswithin -sai d post; s'a id -cnd portion being; oif'consta'nt' width atits uppi ir part with its outer rim curved to form a wider lower cpa-rtTor connection to'the un derframe o'f the car.

8. 'Inicomhination with the other elements 01'' a railway drop endgondola car; a e'orner post formed off'plate stelconipiifing a si'deportion and an end portion substantially perpendicular .to each other.saidside portion provided with a vertical corrugation which terminateswithin said post; said-end porti on loein g of constant width at itsupper part with its outer rim curved to dorm a wider lower part for"connection to the nnder'frame "of the. car, the outer rimo'f the upperpart formed with an outwardly n ojecting flange. I

I 9. In comhination'withthe 'o-theriel'emerit s o f/a railway drop endgondola car: a 'corner post for-med c? plate -steel comprising asideportion and an end portion "substantially perpendicular to eachothersaid'side portion provided with a Verticalcorrugation w'h'ichterminates within said post; said end portion being of constant width atits upper part with its outer rim curved to form a wider low-er part forconnection to "the under'frame of the car, the outer rim of theupperpart and the curved .part formed with an outwardly projectingflange. l 7

'10. "In combination with the other -.e'1cmerits of a railway drop endgondolacarg as'eornerpost "formed of p'late'ste'l compr'is ing a sideportion and an end portion "substantially perpendicular to each othersaid side portion being wider at the bottom than 1 and side sill of thecar respectively at the top and secured to the top side chord andprovided with a vertical corrugation which terminates Within said post;said end portion being of constant width at its upper part with itsouter rim curved to form a wider lower part for connection to theunderframe of the car.

11. In combination with the other elements of a railway drop end gondolacar; a corner post formed of plate steel comprising a side portion andan end portion substantially perpendicular to each other said sideportion being wider at the bottom than at the top and secured to the topside chord and side sill of the car respectively and provided with avertical corrugation which terminateswithin said post; said end portionbeing of constant width at its upper part with its outer rim curved toform a wider lower part for connection to the underframe of the car, theouter rim of the upper part formed with an outwardly projecting flange.

12. In combination with the other elements of a railway drop end gondolacar; a corner post formed of plate steel comprising a side portion andan end portion substantially perpendicular to each other, said sideportion being wider at the bottom than at the top and secured to the topside chord and side sill of the car respectively and provided with avertical corrugation which terminates Within said post; said end portionbeing of constant width at its upper part with its outer rim curved toform a wider lower part for connection to the underframe of the car, theouter rim of the upper part and the curved part formed with an outwardlyprojecting flange.

13. In combination with the other ele ments of a railway drop endgondola car; a corner post formed of plate steel comprising a sideportion and an end portion'substam tially perpendicular to each other,said end portion being of constant width at its upper part with itsouter rim curved to form a wider lower part for connection to theunderframe of the car, the outer rim of the upper part and the curvedpart formed with a flange.

14. In combination with the other elements of a railway drop end gondolacar; a corner post formed of plate steel comprising a side portion andan end portion stantially perpendicular to each other, said side portionprovided with a vertical corrugation, the side wall of the corrugationbeing in the same plane as said end portion said end portion being ofconstant width at its upper art with its outer rim curved to form awider lower part for connection to the underframe of the car.

AUGUST G. SANDMAN.

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